Abstract
Commiphora namibensis Swanepoel, described here as a new species, is known only from the Kaokoveld Centre of Endemism, southwestern Angola. It appears to be closely related to C. virgata Engl. Diagnostic morphological characters of C. namibensis include the mostly spinescent lateral branches and branchlets, trifoliolate leaves, rarely with a few simple ones also present, the leaflets which are shiny adaxially and a laterally slightly compressed putamen with a yellow pseudo-aril. Illustrations of the plant and a distribution map are provided. Mainly confined to near the coast, the new species is widespread but uncommon between Namibe and Santa Maria.
Highlights
At present about 222 described species of Commiphora Jacquin (1797: 66) are accepted worldwide (The Plant List 2013), of which 12 occur in Angola. Five of these species are endemic to the Kaokoveld Centre of Endemism, a biogeographical region with many restricted-range plants and animals in southwestern Angola and adjacent northwestern Namibia (Mendes 1964, 1967, Van Wyk & Smith 2001, Curtis & Mannheimer 2005, Figueiredo & Smith 2008)
Live material of the new species was studied in the field, and morphological characters in the following description are based on mature leaves, fresh flowering material and ripe fruit
Diagnostic features for C. virgata were determined through examination of live plants in southwestern Angola and in Namibia
Summary
At present about 222 described species of Commiphora Jacquin (1797: 66) are accepted worldwide (The Plant List 2013), of which 12 occur in Angola. The Kaokoveld Centre is the principle focal point of endemism and diversity for Commiphora in southern Africa (Van Wyk & Smith 2001) and new members of the genus continue to be discovered in this biologically diverse but botanically poorly explored region. In this contribution, a new species of Commiphora from the Kaokoveld Centre is described. During a botanical expedition to southwestern Angola in April 2010, the author encountered an unfamiliar Commiphora with bark peeling horizontally in strips and glabrous, trifoliolate leaves. Additional information for C. virgata was sourced from the literature (Van der Walt 1986, Steyn 2003)
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
